SECURITY FORTIFIED AT BOMAS AHEAD OF ‘BIG’ IEBC DECLARATION

IEBC on Monday morning appeared ready to declare President Uhuru Kenyatta as winner, without the 25 constituencies that failed to vote in the fresh presidential elections.

At the National Tallying Centre at the Bomas of Kenya, there was increased security presence with every body entering the premises subjected to intense security searches.

While security at the tallying centre has been top-notch since Thursday when Kenyans went to the polls, there was increased presence of police officers and additional barriers Monday morning,, all signs of President Kenyatta’s imminent arrival.

In the polls, voting did not take place in 25 constituencies in Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori and Kisumu counties.

Inside the Bomas auditorium, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) staff were dressing chairs in the area reserved for presidential candidates, their staff and election observers.

The seven tables that had been in the middle of the auditorium that were used for the verification of results declaration forms brought by the different returning officers had been removed.

There was also increased presence of politicians allied to the Jubilee Party.

With results from 266 of the 290 constituencies that voted all in, President Kenyatta has 7,483, 893 votes, 98.27 per cent of vote casts.

Mr Odinga withdrew from the poll, but was retained in the ballot paper even after he wrote to the IEBC informing them about the move. He has since rubbished the October 26 poll, and demanded a new one in 90 days.

Mr Odinga, a former prime minister, has demanded extensive reforms at the commission , including change of companies printing ballot papers and the one providing elections technology.